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Dear Shiloh Family,

I had heard all the horrifyingly humorous stories. Several folks had shared varying close encounters and experiences, which just compiled more anxiety and dread about contacting the Social Security - not to mention the fact that I wasn't ready for the Medicare conversation in general. However, I made the call and waded out into the realm of the retiring educator, and my anticipated fears very near came to fruition.

Thankfully, the lady on the other end of the line was patient and very kind. But, the waters of doubt began to rise when she asked me where I was born. I confidently replied, "Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia."

Now, I was somewhat proud of myself for getting the first question correct. I thought for a moment I was ready for an episode of Jeopardy. You can imagine my puzzlement when she questioned,

"Well, is there another name the city might be called?"

 After a long pause for effect, the conversation went something like this;

"No Ma'am, as far as I know. It's been Ft. Oglethorpe all my life."

"Are you sure that is your birthplace? You can't think of something else it might have been named?"

"No, the hospital has not moved."

"Sir, I'm not talking about the hospital, I'm talking about the city in which you were born."

I literally had no response. I just sat there bewildered. Hang on, it gets better.

"Well sir let me ask you another question. What is your full name?"

I knew I had this one so I said, "Derrell, D-E-R-R-E-L-L."

"Sir, I don't need you to spell it, I have it in front of me. Just tell me your name."

Don't worry, I kept it together, "Derrell Lyndon O'Neal."

"Derrell, tell me what you were called before that?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, you said your name was Derrell Lyndon, is there something you were called before that?"

If I didn't look so much like my Mom and her side of the family, I would have been thinking adoption. Genetics protected me on that one. However, by that time, I was totally discombobulated; and I let her know - tactfully.

"Mr. O'Neal, just tell me at what time you changed your name and when they started calling you something else, or I will have to make you an appointment with your local office in person. You have missed two of the questions I asked you about your personal information."

Then came the most mature remark I made all day, "Lady, just hold on. I"m gonna call my momma. She will tell you my name, and that I was born in Ft. Oglethorpe, GA, and that I lived in Chickamauga, Georgia, and that my name has been the same since I was born."

At this point she chuckled and informed me that Chickamauga was the magic key to the combination. It seems that they listed my birthplace as the where I resided, not where I was actually born. As far as my mysterious identity crisis, the Social Security office listed me as Derrell O'Neal when I was born. When I got my first job in 1975, I applied for a SS card which required me to list my full name - thus the name change that wasn't.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 NKJV

Upon reflection, I realized I had missed a wonderful opportunity to reveal my legitimate name and identity change. I should have told her that my birthplace was in 1980 at Shiloh Baptist Church, Rossville GA. At that time, I was transformed from sinner to saint. I went from hypocrite to heaven bound, from cast down to coronated, from far gone to firmly safe, from the hand of Satan to the heart of the Father, and from unknown to unshackled. I was not just changed; I was made new.

1 Peter 2:9-10: 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. NKJV

Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. NKJV

The world may not know my address, but heaven knows my name.

God bless you all,
Pastor Derrell